Former Premier League referee Keith Hackett has now spotted a huge injustice for Everton before Jarrad Branthwaite was given a red card against Brentford.
The Lowdown: Damaging defeat for Everton
It was a damaging result for Frank Lampard’s team at Goodison Park as they fell to a 3-2 defeat, having eventually being reduced to nine men after Salomon Rondon was also sent off.
It means that they still need to get a win against either Crystal Palace or Arsenal in order to guarantee their place in the top flight for 2022/23.
Richarlison had converted a penalty on the stroke of half-time to put the Toffees 2-1 ahead, but it appears that the Brazilian ought to already have had the chance to score from the spot before then.
The Latest: Should Everton have had a second penalty?
Replying to a fan on Twitter, Hackett has claimed that Everton should also have been given a penalty for the pulling of Richarlison’s shirt in the box just a few seconds before Branthwaite was sent off, at which point the Toffees were leading 1-0.
The former top-flight official insisted: “Yes it was. Richarlison having his shirt nearly wrapped off should have been penalised.”
The Verdict: Frustrating
It will be very frustrating for Everton to know that they perhaps should have had a penalty before Branthwaite’s red card, which would ultimately have cancelled out the sending off and given them a chance to go 2-0 up in the game inside 20 minutes.
In the end, the defender’s early dismissal cost them as the Toffees ended up losing, which could well be the difference between staying up and suffering relegation.
Nonetheless, Lampard and his team must now put this game behind them and focus on trying to get the three points against Palace, which would ultimately keep them up.
In other news, find out which Lampard favourite Everton are now eyeing on a free transfer this summer
Aston Villa will hold talks over the potential permanent signing of Philippe Coutinho at the end of the season, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The lowdown
During the January transfer window, the Midlanders signed the 29-year-old from Barcelona on a half-season loan. They have the option to purchase the Brazilian for a fee of £33m, according to The Athletic’s Gregg Evans.
However, the player’s wages could present an issue, with Coutinho thought to be earning a whopping £480,000 per week under his Barcelona contract. That’s exactly four times the amount that Villa’s highest-paid player Danny Ings is thought to be taking home each week.
The 29-year-old will therefore have to agree to a considerable pay cut if he wishes to join the Midlands club in the long-term.
[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/aston-villa-latest-updates/” title=”Aston Villa latest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]
The latest
Romano took to Twitter on Monday morning to share a quote from Villa manager Steven Gerrard, who upon being asked about the Brazilian’s future at the club, said: “We want Philippe Coutinho here for sure”.
The journalist added that Coutinho’s ‘transfer will be discussed at the end of the season with Barcelona and his agent’.
The verdict
The case against signing Coutinho permanently has actually grown stronger in recent weeks. He made a strong start following his move to Villa, notching seven goal contributions in his first eight matches.
However, he hasn’t scored or set up a goal in his seven appearances since, and against Burnley at the weekend, he failed to make the starting line-up for the first time since his impactful Villa debut as a substitute against Manchester United in January.
It remains to be seen whether Gerrard made that decision with one eye on Tuesday’s clash against Liverpool, but Coutinho’s future isn’t looking as clear-cut as it might have midway through March.
Even a 50% pay cut would put the Brazilian very much out on his own and distort the wage structure, so Villa have to think carefully before they commit to signing him outright.
In other news, this Villa man incurred the fury of some fans against Burnley
David Moyes is now fighting his old club Everton to sign James Tarkowski for West Ham United in the summer.
The Lowdown: Thelwell favourite
Kevin Thelwell is thought to be a big admirer of Tarkowski, after watching him in Burnley’s 1-0 win over Wolves in the Premier League earlier this season.
He is out of contract at Turf Moor in the summer, and so can be signed as a free agent.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, this is leading to a big fight for his signature, with Moyes now joining Frank Lampard in pursuit of the colossal tough-tackling defender.
The Latest: Moyes fighting
As per Football Insider, a source from the Hammers has revealed that Moyes has now ‘signalled his intent’ to fight the Goodison Park faithful for Tarkowski, and he is seen as a ‘perfect Moyes player’.
The central defender has rejected a number of offers to extend his contract from the Clarets, and so is destined to leave on a free transfer with Everton and West Ham now set to battle it out.
The Verdict: Bargain
If the Merseyside club are able to land Tarkowski ahead of the Hammers, then they would certainly be getting a bargain for no initial transfer fee.
Once dubbed as ‘outstanding’ by his former manager Sean Dyche, he would clearly be an upgrade on who they already have, as he wins more aerial duels and averages more clearances and blocks per match than all of Ben Godfrey, Mason Holgate and Michael Keane in the top flight (WhoScored).
Nonetheless, providing that they can stay up, Tarkowski offers the added Premier League experience and know-how that the Toffees would not be able to get by buying abroad.
In other news, find out which Blues trio could now move to Tottenham Hotspur this summer here!
A big claim has been made on Celtic’s plans to snap up Cameron Carter-Vickers later this year…
What’s the talk?
Transfer insider Pete O’Rourke has claimed that the club will attempt to sign the central defender as early in the summer as they can to avoid missing out on him.
The reporter has tipped the £2.7m-rated centre-back to have watching eyes from clubs south of the border and that is why time is of the essence for Ange Postecoglou.
He told GIVEMESPORT: “The potential obstacle for Celtic is rival interest from Premier League clubs as a few of them might be interested in the USA international as well.
“For Celtic, once the season’s finished, I think they will be smart to try and get this deal done as soon as possible.”
Great news for the Hoops
This is certainly great news for the club, Postecoglou and the supporters as this approach will surely give Celtic the best chance of signing him on a permanent deal.
If they can swoop in before Premier League sides are able and willing to firm up their interest in the USA international then it will allow them to avoid a bidding war for his services. They will be able to complete the deal with minimal competition for his services and securing his future at Parkhead will be a major boost for the head coach.
Carter-Vickers has enjoyed a phenomenal season on loan with the club from Spurs and established himself as one of their top performers.
In the Premiership this season, the enforcer has averaged a superb SofaScore rating of 7.36 across 30 outings in the division. He has been a dominant force at the back, winning 69% of his duels in the league, as he has proven that he can perform to a high level on a consistent basis for the club.
At the age of 24, he still has plenty of developing left to do and this means that Celtic would be bringing in a player with the potential to improve and grow in stature over the years. Considering how impressive he has been for the club this season, Carter-Vickers improving as a centre-back is a tantalising prospect for Postecoglou.
Therefore, the Hoops’ plan to snap the defender up as quickly as possible this summer is great news for everyone involved as he would be a phenomenal signing in the immediate future and in many years to come.
AND in other news, Ange must axe “catastrophic” & “unbelievable” disaster duo, they’re rinsing Celtic…
Manchester United are in the market to bolster their squad in January, and Fabrizio Romano has now delivered a frank update on their pursuit of West Ham United playmaker Lucas Paquetá.
The Red Devils have made themselves a much-improved force under Ruben Amorim in recent weeks, with new signings making their mark across the field after a tumultuous start to the campaign at Old Trafford.
Still, there is much to improve on for his side and supporters will be keen to see that come to fruition during the schedule ahead, though their recent fortunes have been in start contrast to West Ham’s difficult start to the Premier League campaign.
In among it all, uncertainty over Lucas Paquetá’s future has come to the fore, with murmurs starting to accelerate that he could be set for a January move before the 2026 World Cup, where he will hope to start for Brazil and help lead Carlo Ancelotti’s side to glory.
Frustratingly, his campaign hasn’t fully come to life yet, with two Premier League goals to his name against Chelsea and Nottingham Forest coming earlier in the season.
Harking back to Manchester United, it is well known that they are in the hunt for a midfielder, characterised by their pursuit of Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson.
Kobbie Mainoo has found himself struggling for regular minutes under Amorim, so it won’t come as a surprise to hear that alternatives are being considered at Old Trafford.
Now, Romano has delivered an intriguing update on the future of Paquetá, something that involves both Manchester United and West Ham.
Fabrizio Romano delivers update on Lucas Paquetá's future
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has delivered an update on whether Manchester United could look to make a move for West Ham midfielder Paquetá.
He stated: “In January, if there is the right opportunity, Paquetá could have the possibility to go and leave West Ham. So keep an eye on that one, because it’s a concrete possibility.
“Many asking about Manchester United. At the moment, I am not aware of concrete or advanced negotiations between Paquetá and Manchester United or Manchester United and West Ham.
“That’s what I am told at the moment on the Paquetá story. Let’s see what’s going to happen. Because Paquetá could be very interesting in terms of role, in terms of quality. But financially, West Ham are not going to give Paquetá for free or for small money.”
Conceivably, any notion of an exit could depend on the money West Ham are presented with for the Brazilian playmaker. Although his side haven’t been in good form, he has still shown his creativity and fashioned 13 chances in the top-flight, per Fotmob.
Man Utd have also held talks to sign another midfielder
Manchester United have a hole left to fill in their midfield, creating an intriguing situation that may still have many layers left to unfold.
Liverpool won the transfer window. So we were led to believe, anyway.
On paper that statement appeared to be true. Arne Slot and Co had spent a colossal amount of money on improving the squad, notably signing Florian Wirtz for a British record of £116m before breaking that very record just weeks later when they shelled out £125m to sign Alexander Isak.
Those two deals made the Reds favourites for the title but the once successful Slot era appears to be unravelling rather quickly.
The Anfield outfit may have won the Premier League in 2024/25 but they look a shadow of that side now.
Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah signed new deals but that matters not; both look beyond their best.
As for Wirtz and Isak, the numbers are damning. They have only scored once between them since moving to Merseyside.
So, after losing 2-1 to Manchester United on Sunday, there are clearly some big issues to fix.
The biggest problems facing Arne Slot at Liverpool
Much has been made of Liverpool’s regression as a defensive unit this season.
Andy Robertson has been forced to sit out most games on the bench, even if Milos Kerkez continues to underperform, while Trent Alexander-Arnold arguably hasn’t been properly replaced.
Conor Bradley has endured a slow start to the campaign and Jeremie Frimpong’s debut term at Liverpool has so far been full of injuries.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Despite that, however, some may well argue that the biggest problems are in the centre of defence.
Ibrahima Konate appears to be distracted by speculation surrounding his future and Van Dijk is no longer the force he once was, something that was demonstrated when Liverpool conceded in the first minute on Sunday.
Amad picked up the ball on the right and threaded a lovely ball through towards Bryan Mbeumo.
The Van Dijk of old would have anticipated the pass and then intercepted the play but he was caught napping. The great Dutchman was slow to react, slow to get back and slow to track Mbeumo. The end result? The Cameroon international found the back of the net.
However, while Liverpool continue to struggle at the back, the tactical make-up of the team has been a problem from minute one of the Community Shield.
Salah is having less of an impact on games and has only scored one non-penalty goal in the Premier League during the first eight game weeks.
New signing Hugo Ekitike and fellow forward Cody Gakpo have been rare bright sparks but even the latter should have taken the game out of sight on Sunday. The Dutchman scored but also struck the woodwork an incredible three times.
Plenty of new signings there certainly are, but there’s a lack of chemistry and synergy from Slot’s men and it’s worrying that he can’t get a tune out of three of the most exciting forwards around in Salah, Isak and Wirtz.
You sense the future of the club needs to be built around the final two names but that’s easier said than done considering their form so far.
To only exacerbate the problems Slot is facing, the midfield are also not covering themselves in much glory.
Slot's midfield conundrum
This has been a peculiar start to the campaign and it just seems as if Slot cannot strike the right balance.
On Sunday, he ended the game with a central midfielder at right back in Dominik Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong at right wing. It’s good that the manager has options and flexibility but he simply isn’t using his squad correctly.
The midfield continues to be an issue, too, although that feels more down to overall player performance.
Ryan Gravenberch has floated in and out of form but the regression of Alexis Mac Allister has been more worrying.
Signed for just £35m from Brighton, he has long been seen as a bargain. Last season he was perhaps unfortunate not to be nominated for Premier League player of the year ahead of Gravenberch as Liverpool won the title.
Yet, in 2025/26, he’s been a shadow of his former self and the defeat to United summed that up.
Eventually replaced just after the hour mark, the Argentine left the field having had just 22 touches and completed only 13 passes, a worryingly low amount for a central midfielder.
Minutes played
62
Touches
22
Accurate passes
13/17 (76%)
Long balls completed
0/2
Shots
2
Shots on target
1
Key passes
0
Tackles
0
Interceptions
0
Recoveries
1
Duels won
0/2
There lies the issue, though. Too many games are simply passing Mac Allister by right now and he’s becoming a scapegoat as a result.
In the process of losing every duel he contested, criticism came the midfielder’s way. One Reds content creator on X bemoaned that the Argentina international as the “most overrated player” in the Liverpool squad, suggesting that he “plods around like he’s pushing 40” from the middle of the park.
Mac Allister is usually so technically secure but he lacks athleticism and power to get across the field in a similar way to Gravenberch.
GOAL handed the player an average 6/10 rating at full-time, noting that he “covered plenty of ground, but was quiet by his standards.”
The midfielder has been one of Liverpool’s standout performers in recent years but it really does feel like he’s currently on borrowed time in this system.
A midfield trio of Gravenberch, Wirtz and Szoboszlai feels like the way to go from now on and with Curtis Jones also waiting in the wings, it’s not as though Slot is short of options.
Arsenal are poised to spend over £200 million this summer at least, if certain deals go through, so they’ll need to eventually balance the books by selling players.
£80m player gives "positive" response about joining Arsenal after contact
He’d be yet another ambitious deal.
ByEmilio Galantini Jul 16, 2025
Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard arrived at the Emirates Stadium recently for a total of around £75 million, not including add-ons, while Noni Madueke also sealed a £52 million switch from Chelsea.
19/20 – winter
£0
20/21 – summer
£81.5m
20/21 – winter
£900k
21/22 – summer
£156.8m
21/22 – winter
£1.8m
22/23 – summer
£121.5m
22/23 – winter
£59m
23/24 – summer
£208m
23/24 – winter
£0
24/25 – summer
£101.5m
24/25 – winter
£0
25/26 – summer
£75m
Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera’s initial £13 million move, not including add-ons which could take it up to £17 million, brings Andrea Berta’s spending up to £140 million – with the player set to undergo his Gunners medical on Wednesday.
After Mosquera, Arsenal are finalising a move for Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres after reaching an agreement in principle (The Athletic). Mikel Arteta’s side will pay an upfront fee of around £55 million, plus an extra £10 million in add-ons, which means Berta is set to fork out a minimum £195 million on transfers with the club’s deals so far.
As we’ve seen with Chelsea and Aston Villa recently, UEFA operate strict financial fair play rules, with the Premier League duo fined for breaches and forced to sell squad members so they can register new players for their European campaigns next season.
While there is no indication that Arsenal are in any similar danger, or with regard to PSR, Berta will be keen to err on the side of caution and offload a few surplus men.
Albert Sambi Lokonga, Fabio Vieira, Reiss Nelson, Oleksandr Zinchenko and 19-year-old defender Maldini Kacurri are named as players who Arsenal could likely choose to sell or loan out, with uncertainty also surrounding both Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard (The Athletic).
Arsenal's GabrielMartinellireacts
Arsenal have already let Jorginho, Thomas Partey, Kieran Tierney, Nuno Tavares and Marquinhos leave the club this summer, with the north Londoners also terminating Takehiro Tomiyasu’s contract following his injury nightmare.
Arsenal could terminate Karl Hein deal amid Sevilla interest
Now, according to Spanish news outlet Vamos di Sevilla, they could repeat that with 23-year-old goalkeeper Karl Hein.
The 39-cap Estonia captain appears out of Arteta’s long-term plans and has only ever made one senior appearance for the club in a 3-1 Carabao Cup defeat to Brighton in 2022 – a match where he also gave away a penalty.
He spent last season on loan at Real Valladolid in La Liga, starting 31 league games and keeping five clean sheets in that time as they were relegated to the Spanish Segunda División.
However, Sevilla are believed to be keen on him, and Hein is ready to accept an offer from them to leave the Emirates. Vamos di Sevilla also suggest that Arsenal could terminate Hein’s contract, just under 12 months before it is set to expire in 2026, or even green-light another loan.
In any case, he is apparently one of the Sevilla sporting directors’ favourite options, so this could be one to keep an eye on.
Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is leaving no stone unturned in his pursuit of top quality to reinforce Mikel Arteta’s ranks, ahead of another Premier League title challenge.
Berta to offer "emerging star" in Arsenal swap deal for near-£70m signing
The Italian really wants to bring him to N5.
ByEmilio Galantini Jul 9, 2025
The Gunners, amid their ongoing talks to sign Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP, which could be done fairly soon after the player agreed personal terms, are also attempting to bolster other positions in the attacking third.
Gyokeres could be joined by Chelsea’s Noni Madueke, with the England international, like Gyokeres, also already agreeing his contractual package.
Interestingly, and what is a very exciting prospect for Arsenal supporters, a move for Madueke or any other left-wing target is independent of their potential deal for Crystal Palace forward Eberechi Eze.
The £100,000-per-week star has reportedly held “positive talks” over joining Arsenal (ESPN), and some reports suggest that Berta is determined to sign Eze. Journalist Rahman Osman also reported in The Sun earlier this week that Berta could offer Palace an “emerging star” as a makeweight to sweeten talks for Eze, but the Eagles are holding out for his £68 million release clause.
Football Transfers provided another update on the ongoing saga this morning.
Berta to hold Wednesday talks with Crystal Palace over signing Eze
The outlet states that Berta will personally hold “Wednesday” talks with Palace over signing Eze, with club-to-club talks seemingly poised to take place today.
Football Transfers relay that Eze wants to join Arsenal, and these negotiations will apparently be centered around how Arsenal would structure the payments of Eze’s release clause, so it appears the north Londoners could steadily be giving in to Palace’s demands.
Not much else is said with regard to the 27-year-old, but Berta is showing no sign of slowing down in his pursuit of Eze, so this could be one to watch in the coming days.
The former QPR star could make a sensational return to the Emirates, 14 years after he was released by the Arsenal academy, and it is clear as day why Berta is reportedly very keen to strike a homecoming.
Eze bagged 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions for Palace last season – scoring the FA Cup-final winning goal against Man City to end their history-long wait for a major trophy – and 2024/2025 was by no means his only heroic campaign at Selhurst Park.
Sky Sports report that the attacking midfielder would come in to complement Martin Odegaard, but Eze’s versatility means he’s capable of reinforcing Arteta’s wise areas too.
The club may not have announced any official signings yet, but Arsenal appear to have burst into life over the last week or so.
On top of securing massively important contract extensions for Gabriel Magalhaes and Myles Lewis-Skelly, the North Londoners appear incredibly close to securing Kepa Arizabalaga as their new number two.
Moreover, while we’ve been saying it for some time now, the announcement of Martin Zubimendi’s signing is just around the corner.
Arsenal manager MikelArteta
And if that wasn’t enough, the Gunners have also made the surprise decision to sign Brentford’s Christian Nørgaard, although if recent reports are to be believed, they might be about to land someone who’d be an even better signing.
Arsenal strike in the transfer market
News of Arsenal’s interest in Nørgaard emerged midway through last week, with reports claiming that they had already agreed to personal terms with the Danish international.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
While it’s not been 100% confirmed, it appears as if the Brentford ace will cost the North Londoners around £10m plus up to £5m in add-ons.
While it’s not the most exciting transfer the club will make this summer, it does make sense, considering the money and the fact that Thomas Partey is now set to follow Jorginho out the door in the coming days.
Yet, with all that said, Arteta and Co now look like they are closing in on another surprise addition to the club, an exciting talent who’d be a better signing than Nørgaard.
At least that’s according to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, who claims Arsenal are advancing with their interest in Valencia centre-back Christian Mosquera.
The Italian journalist has revealed that the Gunners have already reached a “full agreement on personal terms” with the Spanish defender.
It’s still unclear how much the 21-year-old will eventually cost, but Romano has reported that the Premier League runners-up are hoping to secure his services for around €20m, which converts to £17m.
Real Betis' Vitor Roque in action with Valencia'sCristhianMosquera
He might not be a particularly well-known player in England, but based on his performances this season, the potential many believe he has, and the holes in Arsenal’s squad, he could be a better signing than Nørgaard.
Why Mosquera will be a better signing than Nørgaard
The first thing to say is that Nørgaard looks like he’ll be a fine addition to Arsenal’s squad this summer, especially now that Partey is set to depart, but therein lies the biggest drawback to his signing: he’ll likely never be more than fine.
After all, Zubimendi will almost always be picked ahead of him for the defensive midfield role, and we wouldn’t be surprised if Declan Rice wasn’t also ahead of him in the pecking order – not to mention the chance Lewis-Skelly ends up playing there in the long run.
Furthermore, as the Danish international will be turning 32 next season, there will be little time for him to bed in, and there is every chance he will be moved on in a couple of years for a younger backup.
Goalkeeper
28
Centre-back
27
Full-back
25
Central midfielder
25
Wide attacker
26
Central attacking midfielder
26
Striker
27
This is unlikely to be the case with Mosquera, as he only turned 21 last week, and according to research carried out by The Athletic, centre-backs typically don’t reach their peak until around 27.
This fact also means that it’s less of a problem if the young Spaniard plays second-fiddle to more established stars over the coming years, as, unlike the Dane, he will almost certainly have more time to bed into the side.
Cristhian Mosquera for Valencia.
However, while William Saliba will undoubtedly be the starting right-sided centre-back heading into next season, the North Londoners have fewer genuine options to replace him should he get injured.
For example, Ben White and Jurrien Timber are far more useful as right-backs, while Riccardo Calafiori and Jakub Kwior are left-footed, and Takehiro Tomiyasu cannot be relied upon to remain fit.
Finally, on top of being younger and potentially filling a seriously pressing gap in the squad, the Alicante-born “monster,” as dubbed by podcaster Rohan Jivan, also has some impressive experience under his belt.
For example, even though he was 20 years old at the start of this season, he’s already made 90 appearances for Valencia, totalling 7399 minutes, and while he is yet to earn a senior cap, he has made ten appearances for the Spanish U21 side and played one game at the Olympics last summer.
Valencia defenderCristhian Mosquera.
Ultimately, while he’s unlikely to be a game-changer next season, Mosquera is an undeniably exciting prospect, and thanks to that fact and Arteta’s need for a new right-sided centre-back, he looks like he’ll be a better signing than Nørgaard.
"Hottest striker in the world" now demands talks to force Arsenal move
Birmingham City stole most of the headlines in League One last season by sealing a title success on a gigantic 111 points, but Wrexham also gained plenty of airtime themselves when clinching yet another promotion.
This was the Red Dragons’ third promotion success in a row, unbelievably, with Phil Parkinson the manager who has amazingly steered the Welsh giants back into the spotlight away from non-league obscurity, to now being one division below the Premier League.
Wrexham will know that their next step up to the Championship will be their most difficult jump to navigate so far, with plenty of new signings ready to enter the building to ensure the next step-up isn’t so difficult, which includes this exciting striker target potentially joining Parkinson’s ranks.
Wrexham now interested in former PL ace
As per an exclusive report from football journalist Graeme Bailey, Wrexham are now in the race to land Leeds United attacker Joe Gelhardt this summer.
Unfortunately, they aren’t just a lone suitor having a peek at the two-time Premier League goalscorer, with Chris Davies’ Birmingham also keen on landing a loan deal for the explosive centre-forward, as Leeds look to get rid temporarily after sealing their own dramatic promotion.
Leeds forward Joe Gelhardt.
Whilst the 23-year-old has found himself stuck on the periphery at Elland Road as of late, he still has plenty of plus points next to his name that will intrigue Parkinson and Co.
He could even be viewed as a better signing for Wrexham to make than the newly promoted side going after an injury-prone Danny Ings, with the soon-to-be free agent forward more known now for his lengthy absences away from the first-team, than his clinical finishing ability.
24/25
17
1
2
23/24
30
1
1
22/23
22
3
2
Why Gelhardt would be a better signing than Ings
Indeed, the table above makes for some pretty grim reading on the ex-Liverpool striker’s end, with Ings only managing five goals for West Ham over his last three unmemorable seasons.
Whereas, in Gelhardt’s defence – despite tumbling down the pecking order in West Yorkshire as of late – he has still proven he can cut it in the Championship when handed a chance to impress out on loan at Hull City last season.
This spectacular effort back in January would get the ball rolling for Gelhardt in his fresh location, with the ex-Hull number 30 going on to bag another four strikes in league action, away from just this wild shot looping over Paul Nardi’s head.
This will instantly put Wrexham at ease about whether the 23-year-old is well-suited to the demands of the Championship after barren patches of form at Leeds. On the contrary, Ings last played at the demanding level all the way back in 2014, with a concern brewing that he just doesn’t have the legs required to kick back into gear in the EFL.
Games played
22
Goals scored
5
Assists
0
Big chances missed
1
Big chances created
5
Total duels won*
5.2
To Wrexham’s relief, Gelhardt showed he has plenty left in his tank at Hull last season, with a bite present in his game too when winning 5.2 duels on average per Championship clash, away from also creating five big chances on top of his goal tally of five.
The newly promoted side have also been there and done that when it comes to veterans leading the line, as seen in Steven Fletcher being on their books last campaign, with the loan capture of the 23-year-old “wrecking ball” – as he was once labelled by Jamie Redknapp for his aggressive approach – signalling a newer approach centred on the future.
While Ings’ name might be more instantly recognisable, his best years seem to be behind him now.
When it comes to Gelhardt, however, plenty more could still be in the offing.
Big Rathbone upgrade: Wrexham still in race to sign "outstanding" PL star
Wrexham could be about to land a big upgrade on Oliver Rathbone by signing this Championship-experienced ace.